Chelsie Pride Challenge
by dibdab4
Summary: New Chelsie series of prompts based on quotes from Jane Austen and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Feeling a bit rusty, but happy to be writing about these two sweethearts. This first entry is quite tame, but marking T with the possibility of some future M-ness.
1. Chapter 1

"Do not be in a hurry, the right man will come at last."

"No man will ever want you, Elsie Hughes."

The voice of her Aunt Josephine was as clear and present in Elsie's mind as if the old woman had uttered the words only minutes before rather than more than fifty years ago. The admonishment had been drilled into her head throughout her childhood and adolescence, bitter words from an ugly soul bent on stifling the spirit of a beautiful young girl who found more pleasure in climbing trees than cooing over baby dolls.

Of all the days Elsie could do without the memory of her cruel relative, this, her wedding day, was chief. She reached behind her, slipping the top cloth covered buttons through the small loops, completing the task of putting on her wedding dress. She took a breath, willing the still present harping of her aunt to cease.

Looking into her dresser mirror, the voice instantly faded away as she took in the gentle beauty that she saw reflected. Anna had been judicious with the amount of make- up she had applied to Elsie's face, but even the moderate amount of powder, rouge, and black kohl she now donned enhanced the pronounced cheek bones and expressive eyes that looked back at her from the glass.

"You're a beauty, my lass. The boys will come calling…"

It was her father's voice she now heard; a raspy voice tinged with three whiskeys, cold Scottish wind and the edge of a sob threatening to break. Her da had said this to her every Saturday night as he sprawled on the settee, an empty glass in his hand and a tear in his eye as he watched her mother brush the snarls from Elsie's auburn mane in front of the blazing fire.

Forcing herself to look away from the mirror, Elsie felt her chest tighten. A wave of sorrow suddenly overtook her at the realization that she would have no family in attendance at her own wedding. Her mother and father had both been dead for more than thirty years and while she thought of them often, grief of this magnitude hadn't plagued her since just after their deaths. _You are an old woman, Elsie Hughes. No need for this foolishness._ She gave her head a good shake and quickly dabbed her eyes, careful not to upset Anna's fine work.

A knock on the door forced her out of her sad reverie and she quickly managed a smile as she opened the door.

"I have a special…oh, Mrs. Hughes, you look beautiful." Phyllis Baxter stepped back to admire the entirety of the housekeeper, quite taken aback by the youthful appearance of her superior who she had rarely seen clad in anything but the deepest hues of blue or black.

"Thank you, Miss Baxter. If I am presentable, the praise is owed Anna."

"She only enhanced the beauty that was already there, Mrs. Hughes."

Elsie blushed at the woman's kind words before inhaling deeply. "Do I smell Lily of the Valley?"

Miss Baxter smiled brightly as she pulled a small nosegay from behind her back. I know you are carrying your Bible, Mrs. Hughes, but Mr. Carson thought you might like to tuck this inside. He said this flower is your favorite."

Elsie's blush deepened and a flutter filled her chest at the sweet gesture by her intended. Over the years she had found sporadically placed stems of the flower tucked in various novels she had left on her desk, and once even pinned to the lapel of her coat. She had her suspicions that a certain butler had been responsible for the acts, but she had never had the nerve to ask him. Biting her lower lip, she managed a whispered, "How lovely," as she accepted the flowers from Miss Baxter, lifting the delicate white bells to her nose.

The lady's maid was touched at how affected Mrs. Hughes was by Mr. Carson's sweet gesture, so much so she found herself blinking back tears.

"It is so lovely to see you and Mr. Carson so happy, Mrs. Hughes. I know today will be the most wonderful day."

Elsie wanted to thank the woman for her kindness, but feared any attempt to speak would result in a flood of happy tears and so she only managed a small smile and a polite nod at the woman.

"I believe Mr. Carson has already left for the church. I should be off." Squeezing Mrs. Hughes hand, Miss Baxter turned to leave, but suddenly remembered another reason for her visit. "Oh, and Mrs. Patmore said she will wait for you downstairs by the car. She is already quite emotional."

Elsie let out a small, teary chuckle at the thought of her dear friend and she managed to swallow the lump forming in her throat, "Please tell her I will be down shortly, Miss Baxter."

Giving her a nod, the younger woman took a step toward the door before turning back around, "I hope you don't think me impertinent, Mrs. Hughes, but I want to know that you have made me stop and take stock, and I feel better for the exercise."

Elsie didn't follow what the woman had said. "I'm sorry, Miss Baxter?"

With a warm smile, the lady's maid whispered, "It is like Jane Austen said: "Do not be in a hurry, the right man will come at last," and was gone.

Elsie stared at the open doorway, a sudden peacefulness filling her being as she let the notion sink in. Looking at the floor and the general direction of the purgatory where she was quite certain her sour old aunt now resided, she happily whispered, "You were wrong, Aunt Josephine. A man does want me."

She let a playful giggle escape as she crossed to the bed to retrieve her new hat, complete with pale pink blooms set off against a landscape of soft gray felt. Looking into her mirror, she managed to angle the hat just right before allowing herself a few moments to take in her reflection, seeing traces of both her parents in the face of the child they had loved so well. "And I do feel beautiful, Da," she whispered, closing her eyes as she lifted her face towards the sky.

Wiping a single tear from her eye, Elsie quickly retrieved her Bible from the nightstand, delicately tucking the lily of the valley between its well-read pages before bringing the book to rest against her chest and offering a small, silent prayer, thanking the Lord for her good life and the man who had come at last.


	2. Chapter 2

**And a bump up in the rating already *guilty smile* If I had to describe this I would say "gentle smut."**

 **Thank you to all the sweet reviewers and special shout out to those who are so kindly participating in the Pride Prompts! I can't wait to read the stories I haven't- and as for the ones I have read- THEY ARE FANTASTIC! Please check them out if you haven't yet! Also- downtondownstairs on Tumblr is doing some gorgeous gif sets in response to the prompts- worth looking :)**

"I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve."

A gentle snore from just over her shoulder assured her of her new husband's descent into slumber, though how he could sleep she had no idea. Her body seemed to be coursing with so many different feelings all at once and she was unsure if she would ever be able to sleep again.

Slipping out from under the weight of Charles' arm, Elsie gingerly slipped from the bed before crossing to the large standing mirror that filled the far corner of their honeymoon suite at the Savoy, an incredibly generous gesture on the part of the Dowager Countess which provided three days and two nights in London before the butler and housekeeper would return to their duties at Downton Abbey.

The heavy fog of industry that hung over the city eliminated any moonlight from shining into their room, but the light emitted by the electric streetlight just below their window allowed her to make out the details of her naked form in the glass.

The kiss she and Charles had shared in front of the church congregation that morning had been the first she had received since a sweet, but innocent peck from Joe Burns when she was a lass of sixteen, but now as she studied her face she noted how very red her lips were, swollen from the passionate kisses she and Charles had shared over the previous hours. She smiled in amusement at the thought of the lost time they had made up for over the course of only a few hours. Lifting her fingers to her mouth she recounted explorations and discoveries the two had made as they nipped, licked, and tasted one another with such intensity.

Her eyes moved down to her full, firm breasts which, while they had succumbed somewhat to the effects of nature and gravity, had, like the rest of her body, fared fairly well in regards to the aging process. She blushed and bit her lip in an attempt to fight a smile as she remembered the look on Charles' face as she bared her body to him. _You are so beautiful, Elsie._ His sweet words giving her courage, Elsie was both delighted and relieved to watch his expression shift from apprehension to wonder as she took his hands in hers, placing his palms against the undersides of her breasts. His hands had been so warm and gentle as his fingers relished her soft skin and the even softer texture of her nipples. She now blushed as she recalled the moan she had been unable to stifle from the back of her throat as he drew the lightest circular motions over the swollen tips.

Closing her eyes to the block her view of her own reflection, Elsie reflexively lifted her hand to her throat, allowing her finger tips to gently trail down the pale skin towards her collar bone as she recalled the feeling of Charles' mouth against her breasts, his tongue continuing the motion of his thumbs as he alternated in drawing delicious circles over and around each of her nipples.

Breathing deeply, Elsie recognized her body responding with a tightening of her womb and a sudden surge of moisture, much as it had to the feeling Charles' fingertips sliding up the inside of her thighs towards her sex. Although her skin was bared to the cool April night's air, heat bloomed through her body as she basked in the pleasure of recalling the feeling of Charles' strong, large body hovering over hers, his hands encircling her shoulders as he moved within her; their bodies joined in an exquisite give and take that Elsie had found overwhelming, yet also left her ravenous for more and more.

She took a few steps closer to the mirror in an effort to study her face more closely. Try as she might, she could not lose her wide, blissful smile. Tears formed in her eyes as she realized the happiness she felt at this very moment was the greatest of her life. Only feet from her lay the man who was truly the love of her life. She felt her chest tighten as she realized there would be no more partings after sharing a late night sherry. No more would she have to restrain from cupping his cheek when she found him to be irresistibly endearing or in the need of her comfort. From this moment forward, all of their days would begin and end in one another's arms; their nights a celebration of their shared passion and love.

The sudden sound of the bed springs groaning immediately drew her back into the present and Elsie whipped her head around to find a very rumpled, yet incredibly desirable looking Charles staring at her.

"Are you all right, Elsie?"

Biting her lip she turned away, squeezing her eyes shut in an effort to hide her tears. Alarmed at her reaction, Charles quickly rose from the bed, pulling her into a warm embrace.

"Please don't cry. What is wrong? Are you hurt? Did I hurt you earlier?"

Wiping tears from her eyes, Elsie looked up at him, "No, Charles, I am not hurt. I am quite the opposite in fact and everything you did earlier was wonderful."

Charles' body relaxed as he let out a small sigh, smiling with relief.

Elsie slid her arms out from under his, moving them to coil around his neck. "If fact, I don't think there is another person in this world as happy as I am at this moment."

"No? I think I might give you a run for your money in that contest, wife."

Elsie leaned against him, quite delighted to feel proof that his arousal as strong as her own. "Well, no happier people in the world than we two. Is that better?"

"Much," her husband answered before leaning down and giving her a gentle, yet lingering kiss as his warm hands slid up and down her bare back.

Elsie pulled out of the kiss, tightening her embrace as she laid her head against Charles' chest. "I don't know that I deserve to feel this happy, Charles."

"There is no one more deserving of happiness, Elsie. If anyone doesn't deserve it, it is me. However, my dear, about twelve hours ago I vowed to love, honor and cherish you until death us do part, so I am afraid I will just have to learn to be content with being happier than I deserve."

Smiling up at him, Elsie wiggled out of his embrace before taking his hand and, with a gentle tug in the direction of the bed, whispered, "Would you like to begin your first lesson now, Mr. Carson?"


End file.
